MUNCIE, Ind. — At either end of Ball State's defensive line is a Warren Central grad.

Joshua Posley, the first-team All-Mid-American Conference stud that transferred from Cincinnati, starts at the left. Anthony Winbush, the pass-rusher with a team-best four sacks through three games, starts at right.

If not for a pair of bad knees, former Ball State captain Darnell Smith would still be at tackle, bringing the tally of former Warriors to three. Smith is working in the private sector now after doctors medically disqualified him.

Winbush and Posley, on the other hand, they're playing and helping Ball State's defense to a blistering start. The Cardinals have 14 sacks and 27 tackles for loss through three games. They had 17 sacks all last season.

Both of those guys are quick to share how Smith affected their careers.

"He helped me through the whole process, the transition (from high school to college)," Winbush said. "He just taught me how to be, and said, 'If I want to be good, just to follow his lead.'

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Ball State defeated Eastern Kentucky 41-14 in their first home game of the season Saturday.
(Photo: Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press)

"I'm still trying to work on that now."

For Posley, having Winbush and Smith already at Ball State made for an easy decision on where to transfer after the Cincinnati coaching staff left.

"I knew it would have been three Warren Central guys starting," Posley said. "I wanted a chance to play with my brothers again."

Though he missed out on playing again with Smith, he's still developed chemistry on the field with Winbush. The two didn't play together much in high school, since the younger Winbush was a No. 2 back then.

But check them out during game days now. As one gives, the other takes. If one guys gets tired, the other will step up.

"We'll just look at each other and realize what the other is thinking," Winbush said.

Added Posley: "He's my best friend here. We're connected on the field, totally, great communication on the field."

The Cardinals' eight sacks last week against Eastern Kentucky was a program record, and Winbush notched two of them, Posley added a half sack. The team's goal moving forward is to try and break that again. Posley said the team still has nine games left to try and re-break it, so why not.

In the meantime, the Indianapolis natives have become ambassadors for Ball State in the Warren Central locker room. Winbush goes back and works out with guys to show him what training for the college level is like. And he lets them know Ball State is a solid choice for anyone hoping to play Division I football.

Warren Central, a perennial powerhouse in Indianapolis, has developed a bit of a pipeline to Ball State in recent years. Freshman offensive linemen Dominick Mathis and Josh Bridgford are the most recent Warriors to move to Muncie.

"It's definitely good for Warren Central players that want to go D-I," Winbush said. "If they want to get in, they can learn what to do and follow our footsteps."

Not so different from Winbush and Posley, who followed in Smith's steps.

"The guys at Warren," Posley said, "they really look up to us now."

Contact Ball State sports reporter Dakota Crawford at dcrawford@muncie.gannett.com and find him on Twitter: @DakotaCrawford_.